The Ghost Who Loved Me
When I started writing The Ghost Who Loved Me, I didn’t just want to tell a ghost story. I wanted to dive into themes that resonate deeply: identity, love, and loss. Set in post-tsunami Japan, the story is as much about the lingering effects of the disaster as it is about the protagonist’s journey of self-discovery.
Shizuka’s character developed naturally as I explored the complexities of gender identity, the trauma of losing loved ones, and the hope of rebuilding a life from fragments of the past. The reunion scene, which sets much of the novel into motion, was one of the most emotional chapters I’ve ever written. Writing about the spirits of the children who couldn’t survive the tsunami left me in tears at times—it felt as if they were guiding the story themselves.
This novel means a lot to me, not only because of its deeply personal themes but also because it challenges readers to think about identity in ways they might not have before. I hope it touches your heart as it did mine while writing.